Stealing owl food was one thing, after all, they were both birds, so maybe the food was interchangeable, but developing a taste for dog food? That was another matter entirely.
Allen was utterly helpless, but since Valor insisted, he had no choice but to get some rather than ignore him.
Considering Valor's combat ability, capable of taking down a group of wizards in an instant and coordinating perfectly with Allen, feeding him a little owl food each day was more than worth it. Now he wanted dog food instead.
As a diligent employee, could Allen refuse his boss's request? Obviously not. Despite feeling slightly morally unhinged, Allen rubbed his throbbing forehead and asked those nearby:
"By the way, whose dog food is left today?"
Everyone shook their heads, they'd eaten theirs already to avoid accidentally consuming it as a snack. Only Shane had some left and returned it to Allen, and Valor took it without hesitation.
Yet, after getting what he wanted, Valor wasn't satisfied. He placed the dog food on Allen's shoulder and continued flying around him, clearly implying it wasn't enough.
Even when you're right, you still can't win?
Allen rolled his eyes, calmed the others, and started walking toward the camp, those two had bought plenty, so he could borrow some for now and deal with repayment later. Then again, they probably wouldn't take it back… most likely they'd hit him instead.
Praying inwardly that the two love-struck individuals wouldn't finish feeding each other before he got there, Allen finally found his target in a corner of the camp.
Yes, a corner. The two were on a date, feeding each other. Luckily, Allen arrived in time, or his power level might have skyrocketed by thousands.
The sticky, gooey couple didn't show any embarrassment. Seeing Allen, they waved politely, completely unbothered that their date had been interrupted.
"Hi, Allen! What's up? Do you need us to make an introduction?" the female prefect teased, still carefully wiping cookie crumbs from her boyfriend's mouth.
After countless inner struggles, Allen decided not to point out the truth, after all, from a food safety perspective, this "dog food" wasn't harmful, and telling them now would only cause awkwardness.
"Uh, sorry, Valor ate all the snacks you gave me today, and it seemed to really enjoy them. I wanted to borrow a bit from you and also ask where you bought it."
"Oh, this? Don't worry, take it. Don't be shy," said the batter, handing over the bag, he hadn't kept any for himself.
As Allen accepted it, the student whispered in his ear:
"Don't eat it. I didn't realize at first, but then I noticed it's dog food. Sorry, man. I only ate it to save Daisy from embarrassment. Just be careful."
He patted Allen's shoulder and lightly tapped Valor on the head, for the sake of the food, Valor didn't peck him.
After repeated thanks, Allen turned to leave, but Daisy suddenly called out:
"Oh, Allen! Wait! My bracelet is in the bag!"
Naturally, Allen stopped. Daisy caught up, didn't rummage through the bag, and instead smiled, speaking quietly and quickly:
"Sorry, Allen. This was dog food today. I realized this only recently. I ate it so Ted wouldn't feel bad, but it tastes pretty good. Don't tell him, okay? Of course, if you want some yourself, I won't mind."
She pulled the bracelet from her pocket, put it on, smiled brightly, and ran off.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Allen felt full. He hadn't eaten a thing, yet somehow felt stuffed with dog food.
Exasperated, he tapped Valor on the head and rolled his eyes, handing over the large bag:
"No more freebies, you fly back yourself."
Clutching the full bag, Valor flapped away with a sharp whoosh, and Allen turned back. The dog food was full, but life went on, time for cards!
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
The next morning, Mahoutokoro Campus
Being near the best concentration of consumers, the second-largest magical hub in Japan was just nearby.
Mahoutokoro accepts students from age seven. Compared to other magic schools, students' needs were broader, so shopping areas were far more bustling than Hogsmeade.
Yet transportation was the main problem.
The shopping district was on another island, and to ease congestion on the flight network, magical teleportation between Mahoutokoro and the island was prohibited.
So how did they travel?
The answer was simple: seagulls.
Normally, a student's weight would be too much for these creatures, but magic made it possible. This system had been in place for over five hundred years.
Yet fear still lingered.
Ron and Hermione, for example, were hesitant. The daring twins had already befriended some of the seagulls and were performing low swoops proudly. Annie had secured herself with the strongest pair, and Allen not only blended Valor into the team but recruited a few more, making his flock the largest. Even Harry managed to persuade the most spectacular group of seagulls to cooperate.
The others gradually built connections with these birds as well. Finally, Ryozawa gave them a simple spell, commonly used when someone hesitated to mount the flock. But if used, it greatly limited the person's flying enjoyment, as two riders per seagull meant only simple flight was possible.
Without hesitation, Ron chose his best group, Harry's seagulls looked truly spectacular.
With trepidation, they mounted. Ron whistled:
"Hurry up, Hermione! Don't worry, it's like riding on clouds. They won't attack!"
Hesitant, Hermione climbed onto Annie's shoulders, eyes tightly shut.
All aboard. Let's go!••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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